Advertisement

Lyon-Marseille match abandoned after captain Dimitri Payet hit in head by water bottle

The Ligue 1 match between Lyon and Marseille was abandoned on Sunday night after Marseille captain Dimitri Payet was hit in the head by a water bottle thrown from the stands just minutes in.

Payet went to take a corner kick in the fifth minute when a water bottle flew down from the stands and drilled him in the head, causing him to collapse down onto the field. He stood up and walked off the field with the rest of the players, and received treatment. Officials suspended the game there for more than an hour.

Officials announced about 75 minutes later that they were going to try and resume play, and Lyons came back out onto the field to warm up. Only minutes later, though, the game was abandoned.

French league officials told The Associated Press Payet was subject to discriminatory insults ahead of the match. The fan who threw the water bottle was ejected.

“Those new grave incidents are a reminder that security at games is the responsibility of the hosting club and of the local authorities, who have the final say about the resumption or abandonment of a game,” French league officials said in a statement, via The Associated Press. “In such circumstances, the French league regrets the decision to [try to] resume the Lyon-Marseille game by the regional prefect … Repeated grave incidents destroy the image of the French league in France and abroad."

Ligue 1 said its disciplinary commission will hold an “urgent” meeting on Monday to determine next steps. It’s unclear when the match will be rescheduled.